Waiting for my Rainbow
by carebearfrost
Summary: AU! When tradgedy strikes 16 year old Sonny Munroe, she's sent to live with her strict Grandmother in California, where she meets the handsome Chad Dylan Cooper. Poor Sonny, all she needs is to remember that a rainbow lies behind every storm. . .


**Hey guys! (: **

**So, I've had this plot in my mind for months now, and the only thing that's been holding me back has been my other story that I'm co-writing, Frosted Glass. I finally decided to publish this one, though (: I thought it'd be a nice little side project to work on in between updates of FG (Which btw, I'm not canceling. I'm about to email the other Emily right now so we can get started on the next chapter). **

**Anyways, so this story is AU, meaning everything is different except the characters. There's no So Random, no Mackenzie Falls, and they're not famous. I've always wanted to write a story like this, so please tell me what you think!**

**So I really hope you like it! I've been working hard on it (:**

She sat on the balcony, over-looking the yard. Below her faded voices and music pounded away, the party still in full-swing. Out in the distance you could see a lake, glimmering in the silver moon-light.

Sonny Munroe played with the ends of her hair and heaved a heavy sigh, her sadness hanging in her heart like a weight. She knew she was being selfish. She should be happy, celebrating with the others. But it was nearly impossible.

Suddenly, Sonny heard the hiss of the back door sliding open. Without even turning around, she knew who it was. The figure sat down next to her and slipped a comforting arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a warm embrace.

Sonny leaned her head on her brother's shoulder, feeling a tear trickle down her face. "You're not going to miss me." She said in a small voice, revealing all her insecurities. "You just can't wait to leave, can you?"

Charlie, her brother of 18 years, quickly shook his head no. "Oh, no, Sonny, no, no. I'm going to miss you like crazy, more than Mom and Dad even."

Sonny stared out into the darkness, not believing him. "I don't want you to leave." She whispered, hearing her voice float up into the air and disappear into the cool night.

Charlie smiled a sad smile, "When you graduate you'll understand. I have to get out, I can't stay here in this small town. Neither can you, for that matter." Charlie added, nudging Sonny slightly, "I mean, with your voice, you could be top on iTunes in minutes. But you just have to break free first. And that's exactly what I'm planning to do."

Sonny sighed, "But can't you go to a college that's closer? Not all the way in Hawaii?"

Charlie chuckled softly and squeezed her shoulder, "You know I've wanted to study oceanic life since I was two. University of Hawaii has been my dream, and unlike you, I plan to do something with my life." He said mockingly, letting her know he was joking.

"Besides," He added more seriously, "In two years you'll be off to Julliard in New York, so it's not like I'm the only one going somewhere crazy."

Sonny rolled her eyes, standing up and walked over to the balcony railing, leaning on it. "I'm not going to Julliard, dufus."

Charlie moved so he was standing next to her. "I don't see why not! Sonny, you're insanely talented. The scout people have already contacted you offering a _full scholarship_. Do any of those words even register in your brain? Free ride to college? Not just that, but a free ride to _Julliard_?"

Crossing her arms, Sonny stuck out her bottom jaw stubbornly and shook her head. Charlie groaned exasperatedly, "Hopefully in two years you'll have some sense knocked into you. Who knows, maybe my absence will do you some good." He said teasingly.

Sonny flipped her hair back and prepared to shoot back a smart retort, but stopped herself. "Can we not talk about college?" Asked Sonny. She looked down at her hands and sighed, "I don't think I'm able to handle it."

Charlie nodded understandingly and pulled her into a hug. "Listen." He said firmly, resting his chin on her head, "I will always be here for you. Just cause I'm in Hawaii doesn't mean I won't be able to come back and kick some jerk's butt. Okay? So don't think you've gotten out of everything. I still plan to meet your next boyfriend, and if I don't approve, he goes. Got it?"

Sonny sniffed and nodded her head, tears beginning to leak out of her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much." Sonny cried, not able to holding it in anymore. She squeezed her brother tightly, her face buried in his chest.

Charlie blinked back tears himself as he held onto his crying sister, "I love you," His voice began to tremble, "So, so much." A tear escaped Charlie's eye, and fell onto Sonny's head.

And that's all they said. Time slowed down as the inseparable siblings spent their last night together, knowing that things would never be the same.

**x.x.x.x**

"Come on! We gotta move!" A loud voice boomed in her ears. Sonny blinked and glared at her Dad, who was attempting to usher everyone out of the house and into the loaded truck, which was filled with boxes and packages.

Sonny exchanged an annoyed glance with Charlie as they trudged out of the house and into the truck. "Connie!" Her Dad hollered, "We're going to miss Charlie's flight! Let's GO!"

As Sonny pulled the car-door shut, she glanced over at Charlie and couldn't help but notice the somber expression on his face. A sharp pain squeezed her heart, and she closed her eyes shut as she felt the familiar sting of tears.

Breathing in a ragged breath, Sonny reached over and took Charlie's hand. "We're going to see each other in two months." Sonny said in a shaky voice. Charlie's eyes met hers, and Sonny did everything in her power not to cry. "You're still coming back for my 17th birthday."

Charlie smiled slightly and nodded, a tear trickling down his face. Sonny squeeze her eyes shut, failing to stop the stream of tears that were flowing down her cheeks.

The tender moment was ruined, however as her Mom and Dad got into the car. Sonny quickly wiped her eyes, not wanting to be caught crying, because that would mean comfort from her parents which she was _so _not in the mood for.

Starting up the car, her Dad pulled out of the drive-way, not bothering to do some over-dramatic speech about how it would be Charlie's last time before he left for college-typical Dad.

Her Mom, Connie, glanced up at the sky and frowned, "Paul, look at the sky," She said softly. Intrigued, Sonny glanced up, eager for any distraction. What she saw was startling.

Dark, angry clouds swirled over-head, looming in the sky as if sending a message. Sonny shivered unexpectedly. They didn't get too many bad storms in Wisconsin.

Charlie seemed to be watching the storm with interest. "I hope this doesn't cancel my flight. . . " Charlie remarked, eyeing the clouds carefully.

Sonny took in a sharp breath, remembering once again how little time she had with Charlie left.

As if God jumped in Heaven, rain roared down suddenly. The droplets slammed into the car, so many and so hard you could barley see the road. "Whoa!" Her Dad exclaimed, the truck swerving into the other lane.

Sonny's body lurched sideways as the car spun out to a stop in the middle of the street. Rain screamed down upon them, making it nearly impossible to see if any cars were coming. "Dad, get back into the other lane!" Sonny gasped, sitting up.

He was gripping the steering wheel tightly, his foot revving the engine. "It won't move," her Dad said tightly, "I don't know what's going on, it's not-,"

"Oh, my god," Charlie interrupted, grabbing Sonny's hand suddenly, his gaze focusing on something past Sonny.

Sonny whipped her head around just in time to see two bright lights approaching. Then, just like that, a car slammed into the truck at full force, sending it careening into the ditch on the side of the road in a series of flips, knocking Sonny out instantly. . .

**x.x.x.x.x**

Darkness.

Nothingness.

No pain. No feeling. No emotion.

Barley even thought.

Questions didn't register in Sonny's mind.

She was floating.

It was peaceful, calm, happy. Did she have to leave? Ever?

Yet she felt the need to open her eyes, but they felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. A loud, obnoxious drone sounded in her ears, and immediately she wanted it to stop.

Somewhere in her brain, something told her that that noise was a flat-line. Something she knew only in TV shows, where a person is dying and a little machine makes that noise.

But. . . does that mean that she was dead?

No.

Sonny quickly shook that thought out of her head. If she was dead, she couldn't be thinking right now. . . right?

So then. . . why was she hearing a flatline?

Straining her ears, Sonny realized that she heard voices too.

"Her heart-rate is speeding up,"

"Can someone please get a specialist in here immediately?"

"I think she's about to wake up!"

"Then move on to the boy! We have two patients, you know!"

Voices echoed and swirled around in her brain. Sonny was eager to open her eyes and figure out where she was, who was talking, what was going on.

With all the strength she had, Sonny peeled her eyes open, immediately her brain was snapped awake by the blinding bright lights.

Sonny squeezed her eyes closed again, squinting at the light. "She's awake!"

Her brain seemed foggy, she was disoriented, confused. She was in somewhere small, laying down, crowded.

Nurses and doctors peered over Sonny, asking her questions, shining bright things in her eyes. Their voices were muted, their images were blurry. The colors were melting together, swirling around Sonny's eyes lazily.

Sonny's eyes rolled to her left, and she was suddenly aware of someone lying on a bed next to her. Her eyes widened when she saw the bloodied, battered figure of her brother.

"Charlie." Sonny croaked, her voice hoarse. His eyes were shut, and he wasn't moving.

Sonny looked back up at a doctor, realizing he was trying to talk to her. She struggled to listen, only catching bits and pieces of what he was saying.

_Car._

_Accident._

_Parents._

_Dead._

_Rain._

She suddenly remembered what happened: Charlie leaving for college, the truck spinning out in the middle of the road, getting hit.

Charlie.

Ignoring the doctor, Sonny turned her head again and saw Charlie, in the exact same position as earlier. "Charlie!" Sonny called out, trying to move her hand, "Charlie!"

"Ms. Munroe, please, you just woke up, you need to take it easy." The doctor's voice came clear and smoothly to Sonny's ears, but she shook her head.

"No, that's my brother!" She cried, wrenching her arm free from the bed and reaching out, trying to grab Charlie. "Is he okay? Why isn't he moving?"

Sonny looked up at the doctor frantically, whose mouth settled in a grim line. The horrible reality of the situation dawned on her. Sonny's mouth opened in a silent scream, tears filling her watery eyes.

"No!" Sonny yelled, turning in her bed, causing one of the nurses to try to push her back down. "Stop it, that's Charlie! That's my brother! He can't, no, he isn't-," Sonny broke off with a sob.

She banged her head back against the pillow, her eyes never leaving Charlie's limp body. "I refuse to believe he's dead!" She sobbed, struggling against the doctors, "I love him! N-n-NO!" Sonny let out a blood-curling scream, filled with anguish and horror.

"Ms. Munroe, you _have _to calm down. This could damage your-,"

"Charlie!" Sonny interrupted with a choking sob, "C-C-Charlie I love you!" Sonny's body wracked with sobs, convulsing as each one made their way up her throat and out of her mouth.

Sonny squeezed her eyes shut, hoping it was a dream. _Wishing _it was a dream. Opening her eyes again, Sonny knew that sadly, it was all too true.

Suddenly, Sonny's vision swam before her eyes. Blackness swirled around, threatening to close in. "Charlie," Sonny uttered as the darkness threatened to consume her, "I-I lov-,"

And then she's gone.

**x.x.x.x.x**

**No, she's not dead. ;)**

**So as you can see, it's really different haha(; Reviews are **_**essential, **_**because I need to know whether I should continue this or 'drop it like its hot' hahahhaa(;**

**REVIEWWW! PLEEEAAASEEE!**

**-Emily(:**


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